Past Achievements

The Society has been a major participant in many past causes, some crucial to the whole of Lewes and others on a more modest and localised scale.

The Traffic

Railway Land Nature Reserve - supported by Friends of Lewes

The two most important traffic issues that have ever affected Lewes and that illustrate our past success were the halting of the County Council's disastrous Inner Relief Road Plan, which would have split the town in half; and our championing of the Southern Bypass and the building of the Cuilfail Tunnel.

With the first issue, if it were not for the part played by the Friends of Lewes in the 1960s, today's Lewes would comprise Lewes South and Lewes North, with the two parts divided by the A27 Trunk Road running, unbelievably, from the Prison Crossroads through The Paddock, skirting Lewes Castle and so to Phoenix Causeway (see map below). Pedestrians wishing to cross this Inner Relief Road from North to South Lewes would have had to use a footbridge or a tunnel, with a constant stream of traffic pouring through. In the event the Southern Bypass was built. (See panel below for more information, including a map.)

The second major issue was the prospect in the 1970s of widening South Street to carry north/south traffic. Alternative official proposals included the demolition of the houses on the west side of South Street and a tunnel under Cliffe Hill which would emerge in Malling Street. The Society was, again, active in promoting the Cuilfail Tunnel which became the preferred route. Sadly, the Society's proposal for taking the tunnel further, to emerge at Earwig Corner, was not adopted. Had it been, Malling Street would not suffer its present traffic congestion.

The Built Environment

We have listed just some of the appealing features of present-day Lewes resulting from our campaigns, and restorations over the last fifty years:-

Fitzroy House - renovation supported by Friends of Lewes

1. Star Brewery and the Old Candle and Needle Factory: we campaigned to save these buildings from demolition and both are now successful complexes of specialist craft studios and shops.
2. The Railway Land: we played an active part in preventing this area from being developed, including a big superstore and car park, with the establishment of it as a local nature reserve. We are supporting the imaginative project of building a Railway Land Pavilion there as a centre for local activities.
3. Eastgate House, Fitzroy House, and the Pelham Arms: we objected to the threatened demolition of these buildings and encouraged proposals that conserved them.
4. Love Lane Tree Belt: we bought this prominent belt of trees above Winterbourne Close in order to preserve it as woodland and a visual amenity. After many years of maintaining it we have now given it to the Lewes Town Council who will continue its maintenance.
5. New Library: we worked with the architects to produce a more sympathetic design and are supporting the Lewes Library Friends by managing their funds.
6. Projects:
   1. We have been instrumental in making numerous minor improvements to the street scene. These include replacing the sign of the White Lion in Westgate Street; rebuilding the medieval Tilting Green Wall; restoring the Pinwell Fountain; and restoring the wall and railings around the Grange Gardens.

   Flint wall round Bowling Green (the old Tilting Ground) - restored by Friends of Lewes (Civic Trust commendation)

   2. We have promoted tourism to the town by providing maps for the information boards around the town and a finger post to Anne of Cleves House in Keere Street.
   3. We set up the Lewes Footpaths Group many years ago to encourage walking in a wide area around Lewes and this is now a flourishing activity.
   4. The Society has published booklets on various Lewes topics over the years. Recent additions are "Lewes 1952-2002", "When Skies Were Always Blue - Memories of a Lewes boyhood" and "Inns of Lewes - Past and Present" (see Items for Sale for details).

These and numerous other features support our claim that, without the Friends of Lewes Society, Lewes would be looking very different to what it does today.